Closure hinge



D. D. DE REES CLOSURE- HINGE July 9, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed. Dec. '21, 1960 mm l'mlllilh IIIIIJIIIIIIIIIIIIII III III num-ailiuum INVENTOR. [Ya da fl fie/32:5

BY W% ATTORNEY July 9, 1963 D. D. DE REES ,538,

CLOSURE HINGE Filed Dec. 21, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 lNV EN TOR.

ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,096,533 CLOSURE HINGE Delbert D. De Rees, Lake Orion, Mich, assignor to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed Dec. 21, 1960, Ser. No. 77,439 4 Claims. (Cl. 16-142) This invention relates to closure hinges and more particularly to a vehicle body door hinge and hold open.

The hinge and hold open of this invention is of relatively simple construction and yet provides a door hinge including a multi-stage hold open whereby the door may be releasably held in a plurality of open positions with respect to a body door opening. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, a pair of hinge members are movable relative to each other between open and closed positions, with one of the hinge members being secured to a body support member, and the other of the hinge members being secured to the door. A resilient rod includes a first leg which pivotally interconnects the hinge members and a second leg joined to the first leg by at least one coil and extending generally laterally to the first leg and parallel to the path of swinging movement of the hinge members. The second leg further includes a laterally extending end portion which is slidably received within a notch in the door hinge member whereby the rod moves with the door hinge member relative to the body Ihinge member. The body hinge member is provided with a plurality of successive notches defined by spaced tabs or protuberances having cam ramp surfaces. As the door hinge member moves relative to the body hinge member, the second leg of the rod moves over the cam ramps and into successive engagement with each of the notches to provide the multi-stage hold open. The slidable engagement of the second leg of the rod with the door hinge member together with the coil which interconnects this leg with the first leg providing the hinge pivot allows the second leg to move laterally relative to the door hinge member and the path of swinging movement of the hinge members so that the second leg can move over the cam ramps which define the notches.

The primary object of this invention is to provide an improved closure hinge and hold open. Another object of this invention is to provide an improved closure hinge and multi-stage hold open for a swingable vehicle closure. A further object of this invention is to provide \a closure hinge and hold open wherein a resilient member provides the hinge pivot for a pair of relatively movable hinge members and is secured to one hinge member for movement of the resilient member and the one hinge member relative to the other hinge member, with cooperating means being provided on the other hinge member and the resilient member to provide a multi-stage hold open.

These and other objects of the invention will be readily apparent from the following specification and drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of a portion of a vehicle body which includes a body support member and a closure member swingably mounted thereon for movement between open and closed positions by a closure hinge and hold open according to this invention, with the closure being shown in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a view similar to FIGURE 1 showing the closure in a fully open position;

FIGURE 3 is a view taken generally along the plane indicated by lines 3-3 of FIGURE 2.;

FIGURE 4 is a bottom plan view of FIGURE 1; and

'FIGURE 5 is a developed view of a portion of FIG- URE 4.

Referring now particularly to FIGURE 1 of the draw ice ings, a vehicle body support member 10, such as a vehicle body pillar, includes an outer wall 12 of multiple thickness metal which is integral with .an end wall 14 provided with a slot 16 of a depth suflicient to allow swinging movement of a male hinge member 18 relative thereto. The inner metal member of walls 10 and 14 provides the inner wall 20 of member 10, with wall 20' including an inwardly directed embossment 22 receiving hinge member 18 in the closed position thereof. A vehicle body door 24 includes an end wall 26 located in juxtaposed relationship to wall 14 in the closed position of the door, with this wall including a laterally extending flange 28 received within a rabbeted portion 30 of wall 12 in the closed position of the door.

The hinge member 18 is of generally 'gooseneck shape and includes a mounting flange 32 bolted at 34 to the wall 26 of door 24. Hinge member 18 is supported on member 10 by a generally U-shaped female hinge member or hinge box 36. The hinge box 36 includes a pair of oppositely extending lateral flanges 38 which are bolted at 40 to the inner wall 20 of member 10 in order to mount the hinge box thereon. The lower wall 42 of the hinge box is joined to the upper wall 44 thereof by a pair of spaced webs 46, FIGURE 3, with the lower wall 42 further including a lateral extension 48 terminating in a plurality of laterally extending tabs or protuberances 50, 52, and 54.

A resilient rod member 56 includes a first leg or portion 58 which extends through aligned openings in hinge members 18 and 36 in order to provide the hinge pivot therefor. A second bight portion 60 of member 56 is located generally laterally to the leg 58 and generally parallel to the path of swinging movement of the hinge members, with leg 60 being joined to leg 58 by a plurality of coils 62 in order that the leg 60 be resiliently biased toward the path of swinging movement of the hinge members or toward the lower wall 42 of the hinge box 36. Leg 60 terminates in a short laterally extending leg 64 located generally parallel to the leg 58 and slidably received within a groove 66 formed integral with the hinge member 18.

As best shown in FIGURE '5 of the drawings, each of the tabs or protuberances 50, 52 and 54 are provided with oppositely extending cam ramps or surfaces. The tab 50 includes an outboard cam ramp 68 and an inboard cam ramp 70, with ramp 68 having a steeper slope than ramp 70. The tab 52 is of like construction and includes an outboard cam ramp 72 and an inboard cam ramp 74 arranged in the same manner as the ramps 68 or 70. The ramps 7 0 and 72 define a notch 7 6 therebetween, with this notch extending partially into the portion 48 of wall 42 as can be seen in FIGURES l and 2. The tab 54 includes an outboard cam ramp 78 of substantially the same slope as ramps 74 and 70, with ramp 78 cooperating with ramp 74 to define a notch 80 therebetween, with this notch being cut into the portion 48 of wall 42, as can be seen in FIGURES l and 2.

When the door 24 is in a closed position, the leg 60 of the rod 56 is located on the cam ramp 78, as can be seen in FIGURES l, 4 and 5 of the drawings. Upon initial opening movement of the door, the member 56 moves with the hinge member 18 so that the leg 60 of member 56 will move upwardly along ramp 78 to a position within the notch 80, wherein the leg 60 engages the portion 48 of the hinge box, with this engagement occurring at approximately 9 of door opening movement in the specific embodiment shown and providing a first stage hold open. Thereafter, upon further opening movement of the door 24, the leg 60 will move downwardly along the ramp 74 and then upwardly along the ramp 72 until it is received within the notch 76 to provide a second stage hold open, with this hold open occurring at approximately 3. 37 of door opening movement in the specific embodiment shown. Likewise, upon further opening movement of the door 24 to a fully open position, the leg 60 will move downwardly along the cam ramp 70 and then upwardly along the cam ramp 6% until it is positioned at the juncture of the ramp 63 with the portion 48 of the hinge box, as shown in FIGURE 2 of the drawings, to provide a third stage hold open in the fully open position of the door, with this engagement occurring at approximately 60 of door opening movement.

The slidable engagement of the leg 64 of member 5a with groove 66 and the coils 62 allow the leg'tifi of the member 56 to move both upwardly and downwardly along the various cam ramps during door opening movement.

It is believed that the movement of the member 56 with the hinge member 18 with respect to the various cam ramps upon door closing movement will be apparent without further description. However, it will be noted that the cam ramps 68 and 72 are of a steeper slope than the cam ramps 70, 74 and 78 so that more force must be applied to move the leg 60 downwardly along the ramps 68 and 72 than must be applied to move the leg 60 downwardly along the ramps 70, '74 and 78.

Thus, this invention provides an improved closure hinge and multi-stage hold open.

What is claimed is:

l. A hinge and hold-open comprising, in combination, a hinge box including at least one wall, a hinge arm located to one side of said wall and adapted to be pivotally connected to said box for swinging movement relative to said wall between open and closed positions, a resilient member including a first portion providing the hinge pivot for said arm and a second portion located to the other side of said wall generally parallel thereto, means connecting said second portion to said hinge arm for movement therewith relative to said wall, and at least one detent projection on said wall located in the path of movement of said resilient member and being releasably engageable therewith upon movement of said hinge arm relative to said wall to provide a hold-open.

2. A hinge and hold-open comprising, in combination, a hinge box including at least one wall, a hinge arm located to one side of said wall and adapted to be pivotally connected to said box for swinging movement relative to said one wall between open and closed position, a resilient member including a first portion providing a hinge pivot for said arm and a second portion located to the other side of said wall generally parallel thereto, means slidably connecting said second portion to said hinge arm for movement relative thereto and movement therewith relative to said wall, and at least one detent projection on said wall located in the path of movement of said second portion of said resilient member and being reieasably engageable therewith upon movement thereof relative to said hinge arm and movement of said hinge arm relative to said wall to provide a hold-open.

3. A hinge and hold-open comprising, in combination, a hinge box including at least one wall, a hinge arm located to one side of said wall and adapted to be pivotally connected to said box for swinging movement relative to said wall between open and closed positions, a generally U-shaped resilient member including a first leg providing the hinge pivot for said arm, a bight portion located to the other side of said Wall generally parallel thereto, and a second leg located transversely of said wall, means slidably and non-rotatably connecting said second leg to said hinge arm for movement of said member therewith relative to said wall and movement of said second leg and said bight portion relative to said hinge arm and said wall, and at least one detent projection on said wall located in the path of movement of said bight portion of said resilient member and being releasably engageabie therewith upon movement of said second leg and said bight portion relative to said hinge arm and movement of said hinge arm relative to said wall to provide a hold-open.

4. A hinge and hold-open comprising, in combination, a hinge box including at least one wall, a hinge arm located to one side of said wall and adapted to be pivotally connected to said box for swinging movement relative to said wall between open and closed positions, a generally U-shaped resilient member including a first leg providing the hinge pivot for said arm, a bight portion located to the other side of said wall generally parallel thereto and connected to said first leg by at least one coil to bias said bight toward said wall, and a second leg located transversely of said wall, means slidably and nonrotatably connecting said second leg to said hinge arm for movement of said member therewith relative to said wall and movement of said second leg and said bight portion relative to said hinge arm and said wall, and at least one detent projection on said wall located in the path of movement of said bight portion of said resilient member and being releasably engageable therewith upon movement of said second leg and said bight portion relative to said hinge arm and movement of said hinge arm relative to said wall to provide a hold-open.

References ited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,129,284 Foose Feb. 23, 1915 1,853,658 Briskin Apr. 12, 1932 2,735,772 Mihalyi Feb. 21, 1956 

1. A HINGE AND HOLD-OPEN COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A HINGE BOX INCLUDING AT LEAST ONE WALL, A HINGE ARM LOCATED TO ONE SIDE OF SAID WALL AND ADAPTED TO BE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID BOX FOR SWINGING MOVEMENT RELATIVE TO SAID WALL BETWEN OPEN AND CLOSED POSITIONS, A RESILIENT MEMBER INCLUDING A FIRST PORTION PROVIDING THE HINGE PIVOT FOR SAID ARM AND A SECOND PORTION LOCATED TO THE OTHER SIDE OF SAID WALL GENERALLY PARALLEL THERETO, MEANS CONNECTING SAID SECOND PORTION TO SAID HINGE ARM FOR MOVEMENT THEREWITH RELATIVE TO SAID WALL, AND AT LEAST ONE DETENT PROJECTION ON SAID WALL LOCATED IN THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID RESILIENT MEMBER AND BEING RELEASABLY ENGAGEABLE THEREWITH UPON MOVEMENT OF SAID HINGE ARM RELATIVE TO SAID WALL TO PROVIDE A HOLD-OPEN. 